September 21, 2012 — Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli (R) has "demeaned his office by using it as a blatantly partisan bully pulpit" many times, most recently by pressuring "Virginia's Board of Health into a stance -- unprecedented in state history -- that could force most of the commonwealth's 20 or so abortion clinics to close," a Washington Posteditorial states.

In June, the board voted 7-4 to exempt existing abortion clinics from a state requirement that abortion clinics meet the same building standards as new hospitals. The decision prompted Cuccinelli to "resort to strong-arm tactics, first by threatening he would not certify the new regulations, then by warning that his office, which acts as the lawyer for state agencies and boards, might refuse to represent members of the board of health who were sued if they failed to heed his advice," the editorial notes.

"If that threat of non-representation -- call it the Cuccinelli Principle -- were to apply broadly, it's unlikely that Virginia could fill vacancies on any agencies, boards or commissions," according to the editorial. Cuccinelli's tactics "bore fruit" last week when the board -- "evidently intimidated" -- voted 13-2 to reverse its position, the editorial continues.

"If that decision survives a public comment period and review by [Gov. Bob McDonnell (R)], Virginia will be known for two things -- the nation's most draconian anti-abortion regulations and its most politicized attorney general's office," the editorial states (Washington Post, 9/20).

Video Round Up

An Interview with Justice Ginsburg on the State of Abortion Access

In a rare interview, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg tells MSNBC's Irin Carmon it is a "crying shame" that state abortion restrictions are making the procedure increasingly "[i]naccessible" to many low-income women. Watch the video

Datapoints

A Look at Abortion Coverage in the ACA's Marketplace Plans, Repro Health Report Card, More

This week's charts depict why abortion coverage is unavailable in many states' ACA marketplace plans for 2015. We also feature a national reproductive health report card and an interactive look at abortion restrictions in Missouri. Read more

At A Glance

"[Roe v. Wade] protects a woman's freedom to make her own choices about her body and her health, and reaffirms a fundamental American value: that government should not intrude in our most private and personal family matters."

— President Obama, commemorating the 42nd anniversary of Roe v. Wade. Read more